Over five years of the Giant Panda National Park's operation, nature seems to have regained its voice in the Sichuan section. Official data show that the quality of the habitat has noticeably improved, and the number of wild pandas in eight key monitoring zones has grown by 7,3%.
At a press conference in Sichuan, Zhou Gupeng, deputy head of the provincial forestry administration, spoke about the concrete results. In the areas of Chongzhou Jiulonggou, Anzhou Xiaoyakou and Maoxian Tudiling, new traces of pandas have appeared. In Ya'an Shimian, the successful reproduction of released individuals has been recorded, and possible offspring have even been detected. Seven ecological corridors have "captured" more than 150 images of wild pandas over five years — the corridors really do help animals exchange genes.
The "umbrella" effect of panda conservation works more broadly than expected. Over the years of the project, scientists have described 14 new plant species and two new species of amphibians and reptiles. Snow leopard populations are growing, golden monkeys are steadily expanding their range, and leopards have been spotted again in Pingwu. The frequency of encounters with wild animals on monitoring routes has increased by 79%.
Such figures speak not only about pandas. They show how a single flagship species programme can return entire ecosystems to their natural state. When bamboo and forests are protected for pandas, dozens of other species that once hid from human eyes also benefit.
Five years is a short time for nature, but it is already enough to see the difference. New traces, successful reproduction and the growing frequency of animal encounters are not an accident, but the result of systematic work to restore landscape connectivity and reduce human pressure.
When the conservation of one species benefits an entire community, it is the best argument for continuing such projects.
